For the Broncos baseball team, the grass will be greener next season.

That's because of a project that will replace the playing surface at Scolinos Field.

Phase 2 of the Scolinos Field project calls for the removal of the current grass surface and the installation of a more drought-tolerant turf. Nearly 100,000 square feet of playing surface will be replaced. Work on the project is scheduled to begin on July 15 and completion of the field renovation is expected in October.

The nearly $700,000 project encompasses other improvements at the baseball facility:

• A 3-foot-high concrete-and-brick wall in front of the bleachers behind home plate.
• A section of green artificial turf containing the Bronco athletics logo in the backstop area behind home plate.
• A 60-foot-tall netting system along the right-field line designed to protect the Residents Suites from damage caused by foul balls.
• New fencing and gates around the field.

In late 2015, Phase 1 of the project to improve the baseball facility was completed. A lighting system allowed the baseball team to play its first-ever night games during the 2016 season, and a new scoreboard was installed.

Phase 3 of the improvement project involves installing new bleachers and refurbishing team dugouts. A timeline for this phase has not been established.

In another field improvement project, the turf in soccer fields near Kellogg Arena will be taken out and new grass seeds will be planted. The fields encompass approximately 150,000 square feet. The $207,000 project is scheduled to be completed at the end of August.

The baseball facility and field improvement projects are being overseen by the Cal Poly Pomona Department of Facilities Planning & Management.